WELLNESS

URI Greek Life is committed to supporting students and providing resources to University departments for additional information related to Mental Health concerns, Sexual Assault Prevention and reporting, Substance Abuse Prevention, and Anti-Hazing policies and hazing reporting.  Below are partnering offices on campus where students may receive information related to specific topics.

Office of Outreach & Intervention

If you are concerned about a fellow student:

  • Is the student a threat? Conduct is clearly and imminently reckless, disorderly, dangerous, threatening, including self-harmful behavior
    URI Police (401) 874-2121 or South Kingstown Police 911
  • Is the student in distress? Student is troubled, confused, very sad, highly anxious
    Counseling Center (401) 874-2288
  • Does the student need support? Student’s behavior is not a threat but is interfering with learning
    Early Alert Services (401) 874-5527 or web.uri.edu/earlyalert/referral-form
  • Early Alert Resources

Mental Health

  • Resources and support

Office of Substance Abuse Prevention

  • Myths, facts, resources, and support

Sexual Assualt Prevention & Reporting:

Anti-Hazing Policy

In accordance with the State of Rhode Island and the University of Rhode Island’s Student Handbook policies, the URI Greek Life organizations and its members will not tolerate hazing in any form.  Please read the statements from the URI Student Handbook regarding hazing:

University of Rhode Island Student Handbook:

(p. 21) Hazing

Hazing is prohibited. Hazing is any action taken or situation created (the willingness of an individual to participate notwithstanding) upon which initiation, admission into, or affiliation with an organization is directly or indirectly conditioned and which produces mental or physical discomfort, embarrassment, harassment, or ridicule. Such activities and situations include, but are not limited to, paddling in any form; infliction of excessive fatigue; exposure to the elements; forced consumption of any substance; physical and psychological shocks, quests, treasure hunts, scavenger hunts, road trips, or any other such activities; wearing, publicly, apparel which is conspicuous and not normally in good taste; engaging in public stunts and buffoonery, morally degrading or humiliating games and activities; late work sessions which interfere with scholastic activities.

(p. 81)  Responsibilities of Fraternity and Sorority Chapters:
Fraternities and Sororities at the University, as with all student organizations, have responsibilities. These responsibilities include:

  • To conduct all of their activities in accordance with regulations and policies of the University of Rhode Island and their general fraternity or sorority, including policies on hazing and rights of individual members

Rhode Island General Laws 11-21-1. Hazing

(a) Any organizer of, or participant in, an activity constituting hazing, as defined in subsection (b) of this section, shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction, shall be fined not more than five hundred dollars ($500), or punished by imprisonment for not less than thirty (30) days nor more than one year, or both.

Terms Used In Rhode Island General Laws 11-21-1. Penalty for hazing

  • conviction: A judgement of guilt against a criminal defendant.
  • misdemeanor: Usually a petty offense, a less serious crime than a felony, punishable by less than a year of confinement.
  • person: extends to and includes co-partnerships and bodies corporate and politic. See Rhode Island General Laws 43-3-6

(b) “Hazing” as used in this chapter, means any conduct or method of initiation into any student organization, whether on public or private property, which willfully or recklessly endangers the physical or mental health of any student or other person. This conduct shall include, but not be limited to, whipping, beating, branding, forced calisthenics, exposure to the weather, forced consumption of any food, liquor, beverage, drug, or other substance, or any brutal treatment or forced physical activity which is likely to adversely affect the physical health or safety of the student or any other person, or which subjects the student or other person to extreme mental stress, including extended deprivation of sleep or rest or extended isolation.

TO REPORT A HAZING INCIDENT IN GREEK LIFE:

Dr. Stephen J. Simo
Assistant Dean of Students, Student Engagement
The Christopher House, 34 Lower College Road
401-874-4667
simost@mail.uri.edu